Robert Bradford Francis

Our dear brother Brad Francis passed away on May 27, 2022.

Brad was a pledge in Fall of 1992 and was initiated along with brothers Jeff Jones, Mike Ooi, Bret Starr, and Joel Stone.

As an active, if my memory serves, Brad was among the greatest House Managers the chapter has ever known.

I encourage you to read Brad’s obituary here, it nicely captures the range of talents and interests Brad was famous for and notes the equally wide range of people that have known and loved Brad and who are mourning his loss.

All are invited to Brad’s family for a celebration of his extraordinary life on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 10:30 am at Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery at 330 Berry Lane, Georgetown,Texas 78626, in the Forest Garden area.

A Celebration of Life with lunch and refreshments will immediately follow nearby at the Kappa Sigma House at Southwestern University, 1003 McKenzie Drive, Georgetown 78626.

Brad Francis and sons

CORRECTION (2/26/23): This post previously misrepresented Brad’s pledge class. Thanks Brother Joel Stone for the correction.

Chapter Celestial, Active Chapter Grows

Greeting, Friends & Brothers:

UPDATE March 6, 2021: We regret the omission of Henry Furler from the list of those joining the Chapter Celestial.

The post provides a digest of news from the past few months.


Chapter Celestial

Since our last post about Brother Richard Kalmbach — who passed away in late September — we received news of two more brothers joining the Chapter Celestial.

Anton (Tony) Fraps IV passed away on October 24, 2020

Bob Rork, alumnus and former trustee passed away on December 29, 2020.

Henry Furler, a young brother from the Iota Class of Spring 2017.

Our condolences go out to family, friends, and brothers during this time of sorrow.

Active Chapter News

The actives welcomed ten young men into the chapter as part of the Spring ’21 Pledge Class.

Iota Chapter Spring Class of 2021

To kick-off the new year, the active chapter launched a campaign to fund house improvement projects — a nice compliment to deferred maintenance and upkeep supported by the House Corporation. Visit the GoFundMe page below to support the campaign.

Alumni Notes

Are you missing live music? Yeah, me too. Check out recent installments of Kevin McKinney’s Friday Freak-in on Facebook for the next best thing to being there.

That’s it for now. Stay warm and safe y’all.

AEKDB,

JG

OBITUARY: Richard Wayne Kalmbach

Richard Wayne Kalmbach

Richard Wayne Kalmbach

The alumni association received word of the passing of Brother Richard Wayne Kalmbach, who passed away on Tuesday, September 29, 2020.

Find Richard’s full obituary here for details on visitation and funeral services. Friends and brothers can also share memories, as did Brother Bob Lain:

I knew Richard from Robert E Lee High School (he was one year ahead of me) and later I attended Southwestern University where Richard was an active member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, which I joined in 1974. I worked closely with Richard and have many fond memories. God bless along with my prayers for Richard and his family.

We extend our condolences to Richard’s family, friends, and fraternity brothers.

Iota Alumni Weekend 2019 Dedicated to Brother Gerald Sylvester

The Iota Alumni Association received word of the passing last week of Brother and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Gerald W. Sylvester, recently of Montgomery, Texas.

Brother Sylvester was initiated in 1957. He was the big brother of Jeff Allen. His son, Jim, also became a Kappa Sigma at Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas State), initiated in the Spring of 1983.

Brother Sylvester was among a distinguished group of alumni who received Fifty Year pins during the Iota 125th Anniversary celebration in 2011.

In recognition of his lifeline dedication and support of the Iota Chapter, the Alumni Association will dedicate our gathering this year to Brother Gerald Sylvester.

Alumni Weekend 2019 is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 5th and 6th.

We received word from Gerald’s family that services will take place on April 6th. As we get further details, we’ll add them to this post.

John Roark, Distinguished Alumus, Passed Away

Brother Scott Hanson shared this news on the Iota Facebook group this morning:

John O. Roark, a distinguished alumnus of Iota Chapter, passed away yesterday. Services will likely be held in Temple, where he lived and practiced law for the past 42 years.

UPDATE 1/25 — Memorial Service:
A memorial service for Brother Roark will be held Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church in Temple. A reception and visitation will follow the service in the Family Life Center of at First United Methodist Church.

Thomas Randall (“Randy”) Lankford dies at 69

We are saddened to report the passing of Brother Randy Lankford this past Saturday, February 18th, in Galveston, Texas.

As reported in the Galveston Daily News, a Memorial Celebration of Life will be held from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm Saturday, February 25, 2012 at his residence in Galveston.

You can find Randy’s full obituary, a very colorful read, here: http://galvestondailynews.com/story/295126/

Roger Edward Davidson, 1926 – 2011

We learned this week of the recent passing of Brother Roger Davidson.

Roger was well known and loved by brothers of every generation.

Brother Alan Haworth reflected, “I remember, Roger came down in the summer of ’07 and helped us paint the house. I think he was 83 at the time. Flew down from Colorado to be there, helping rebuild the house. He was also John Tower’s roommate and best friend. He was at the Tower tree dedication in the early ‘90s when the Tower library was dedicated. Roger was a great man, a faithful brother, and steadfast in his dedication to Kappa Sigma. He will be missed but never forgotten!”

You can read Roger’s obituary from The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction, Colorado here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/gjsentinel/obituary.aspx?n=roger-edward-davidson&pid=154010417

Please feel welcome to add your good words to in the comments to this post.

On the Passing of our Brother Bruce W. Barrick

UPDDTE III, 7/20 – below
UPDATE II, 7/16 – below
UPDATE I, 7/15 – below

The Iota Alumni Association is saddened to report on the death of Bruce Barrick.

Available accounts report that he was found in his home in Austin today and appears to have died of natural causes.

We will keep this post updated as information on services becomes available.

____________

I encourage everyone from our community of friends and brothers to add comments to this post. Share your memories as we all prepare to say a final goodbye to our Brother Bruce.

UPDATE III

Here is the updated information on Bruce Barrick’s funeral:

AUSTIN

Visitation: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 5:00-7:00 pm
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home
2620 South Congress Ave.
Austin, Texas 78704
512-442-1446

Funeral: Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 10:00 am
University United Methodist Church
2409 Guadalupe Street
Austin, Texas 78705

HOUSTON

Visitation: Friday July 23, 2010 4:00-6:00 pm
George H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home
1010 Bering Drive
Houston, Texas 77057
713-789-3005

Funeral: Saturday, July 24, 2010 10:00 am
Glenwood Cemetery (Grave site service only)
2525 Washington Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77007
713-864-7886

UPDATE II – via Erik Harpst

Bruce’s service will now be at University Methodist Church, Brother Chuck Merrill’s church. In case you are unaware, Brother Merrill was a longtime pastor at this church and a huge supporter of Iota and all it stands for. Chuck passed away a few years ago, and after his death, Bruce began an SU scholarship fund in Chuck’s name.

Austin: Thursday July 22nd 10:00 am University Methodist Church on Guadalupe
Houston: Saturday July 24th 10:00 am George H. Lewis and Sons Funeral Home
The only possible change with the Houston date would be a time change from 10:00
to 9:00 am.We should have final updates by Monday.

I will be sending important info and updates to the official Iota web site at iotachapter.org . Check it out, there are great photos of Bruce and posts from brothers. Feel free to leave your own thoughts or memories of Bruce.

AEKDB
Erik Harpst

UPDATE I

Brothers and friends,

There are two Barrick services TENTATIVELY planned. Bruce will attend both of them.

Austin: Thursday, July 22, 2010. 10:00 am, University Christian Church, at UT (see UPDATED II above)

Houston: Saturday, July 24, 2010. 10:00 am, George H. Lewis & Sons funeral home

Bruce requested a wake. Bruce’s 60th birthday bash was at a beer hall in Austin. Maybe a similar bash would be appropriate. When it gets cooler. Like September. Seriously.

We are looking for pictures of Bruce for photo boards to be displayed at the funerals. If you have some, please email them to this address ASAP.

Bruce deserves to honored in the same way that he insisted his deceased brothers were honored. He will get that, and more.

When details are confirmed it will be passed on.

AEKDB
Erik Harpst

Bruce Barrick SU Homecoming 2006

Bruce introduces the late Rev. Chuck Merrill

Bruce and Norwood